Cadillac has some big plans for its new 2013 XTS sedan that made its debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. GM has announced that Cadillac will unveil the XTS W20 Livery Sedan Package at the upcoming 28th Annual International Limousine, Charter and Tour Show, but the big news is that Cadillac Master Coachbuilder (CMC) is working on an extended sedan and limousine variant of the new XTS.

The XTS W20 Livery Sedan Package is targeted towards professional use, and it appears that it’ll retain the regular XTS’s wheelbase length. The other two variants currently being worked on by CMC however, will be built for the chauffeured transportation market by the end of the year.

Limousine, Charter and Tour Magazine is reporting that CMC will be able to extend the XTS’s length by up to 70 inches for the “V4U” XTS Limousine, and up to 8 inches can be added to the wheelbase for the “W30″ XTS-L sedan for improved rear legroom. Neither of these variants will be on display at the upcoming Limousine, Charter and Tour Show however.

“This new vehicle will help dispel some of the myths out there about Cadillac,” said Ray Bush, Cadillac Professional Vehicles Program Manager. “The Cadillac of old was from the standpoint of large, floaty vehicles. Cadillac has moved away from that with its new products launched over the last 10 years. The XTS will further that with outstanding ride characteristics that compare favorably with Cadillac vehicles of the past.”

[Source: World Car Fans]

For 2014 Chevrolet will be unveiling the all new Impala, which is long overdue for a redesign. The new Impala will be built at the Oshawa, ON assembly plant along side Cadillac’s new flagship XTS model. The two will share the same platform and, it seems, even some styling cues.

Spy photos show the new Impala, still camouflaged of course, but enough that it is obvious that Chevrolet is going after a much more upscale sleek look then the now bland old Impala. This redesign has a lot riding on it as the Impala is one of the most popular fleet cars in North America. If the new 2014 model can retain the family and fleet-friendly pricing of its predecessor and capture the elegance of a Caddy it is sure to be a hit.

GM announced Friday that it will be investing $68 million into the Oshawa plant to get the new line of Impala’s up and running and they should hit dealers sometime in early 2013.

GALLERY:Chevy Impala

[Source: Automotive News]

After growing rumors that the Buick Regal GS might be joined by a larger sporty sibling, GM has finally gone on the record and quashed any notion of a LaCrosse Gran Sport model.

Given that the upcoming Cadillac XTS (which shares architecture with the LaCrosse) was slated to receive a version of GM’s twin-turbo V6, it was a logical step, say some to place a version of this motor in the Buick.

That said, with the LaCrosse having already received more power for the 2012 model year, in the shape of the 303 hp LFX 3.6-liter bent six engine, perhaps the idea of a GS model with a turbo motor seems a bit superfluous, at least for the time being. Further adding to that notion is the recently unveiled LaCrosse GL concept (shown above), which hints that the plans for Buick’s largest new generation car are slanted more towards luxury than performance (it’s certainly been that way in the past, even during the T-Type era).

That said, General Motors plans to revamp the LaCrosse for the 2014 model year, so it will be interesting to see if a Gran Sport model makes the cut sometime after then. For now however, if you fancy the idea of a twin-turbo V6 premium sedan from General Motors, your best bet will likely be the XTS.

[Source: GM Inside News]

As expected and right on time, Cadillac rolled out their new XTS Sedan today at the LA Auto Show, fully unveiling their new flagship luxury sedan. Confirmed is a 3.0L V6 with 300-hp under the hood powering the XTS Sedan boasting Cadillac’s Art & Science design language.

The 300-hp V6 is mated to a six-speed transmission and Cadillac claims it has “very impressive fuel economy”. Genuine leather and wood is used throughout the interior, giving it a warm and opulent feel; while the XTS Premium will ramp up the luxury inside with a suede headliner, special accents and two unique interior trims.

Cadillac also boasted that the XTS Sedan is their most technologically advanced vehicle yet, equipped with their Magnetic Ride Control and Brembo brakes as standard. Furthermore, technological advancements enhance the safety of the vehicle by utilizing what Cadillac calls a network of cameras and radar sensors to warn drivers of possible accidents before they occur. Their “virtual bumpers” allows for low-speed detection of hard-to-spot articles and can even stop the vehicle to prevent an accident from happening. Another feature on the XTS Sedan worth mentioning is adaptive cruise control with full speed range.

The XTS Sedan is confirmed to be the first vehicle in Cadillac’s lineup to come with their new Cadillac User Experience (CUE) which features advanced in-vehicle connectivity paired with an industry’s first multi-touch screen with haptic feedback (which vibrates slightly when icons are touched). CUE will be integrated into other Cadillac models including the ATS later this year.

GALLERY: Cadillac XTS Sedan

Cadillac‘s long awaited XTS flagship has been officially revealed with a whole suite of technology features that should help it establish a niche among buyers interested in more than just rear-drive handling dynamics.

The XTS is based on a front-drive architecture, a move that has come under fire among some critics as counter-productive, considering that rear-drive is a supposed hallmark of prestige employed by European and Asian rivals. With the XTS, Cadillac has chosen to use a Haldex all-wheel drive system, similar to brands like Audi and Volvo, which should match nicely with the direct-injected 3.6L V6, as well as provide a strong selling point in Snow Belt states.

On the performance side, the XTS will also employ a number of GM’s most advanced techologies, including Magnetic Ride Control, a rear air suspension, a HiPer Strut front suspension and Brembo brakes. Traditional large-sedan attributes have also been given sufficient attention – the XTS boasts 4 more inches of rear seat leg room and more trunk space than most German competitors – no doubt a way to position the XTS as a livery car as well.

As with most modern premium cars, the XTS places a heavy emphasis on both safety and technology, with the two themes interwoven in a variety of systems that Cadillac is heavily touting. The XTS will use a variety of radar sensors to control features like Adaptive Cruise Control (which can speed up or slow down the vehicle automatically), Front and Rear Automatic Brakes (which can bring the vehicle to a complete stop if necessary to prevent low-speed collisions) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (which lets the driver know if there is pedestrian or vehicle traffic when backing out of a parking spot). The XTS will also have a vibrating alert placed in the front seat, which will allow the XTS to warn the driver of threats on either the left or right side that may be out of sight.

Other safety features like a Blind Spot warning system and a Lane Departure warning system will be made available, as well as 10 standard airbags. Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system will make its debut on the XTS, with an 8-inch screen that is said to offer an iPhone-like touch screen interface. An LCD instrument panel that can be completely customized will also be available, and is said to be an industry first.

GALLERY: 2013 Cadillac XTS

Check back later as AutoGuide brings you live shots of the Cadillac XTS at its live reveal at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Cadillac has just revealed the production version of its upcoming XTS flagship luxury sedan, which will debut at the 2011 Los Angles Auto Show on November 16, 2011.

Carrying a current line-up that relies heavily on the popularity of the CTS and the Escalade SUV, America’s quintessential luxury brand now seems to be on a roll as it prepares for the XTS as well as the entry level market ATS, effectively tying together the two ends of the market spectrum.

Rumored for under the hood is a twin-turbo direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 making well over 300-hp. In concept form, that same engine was mated to an electric motor, making 350-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. What we do know the XTS will feature is Cadillac’s new CUE telematics system with an 8-inch (or optional 12.3-inch) LCD screen on the dash with simple and clear controls. Cadillac says the system will also feature iPad-like functionality with motions like tap, flick, swipe and spread.

See AutoGuide’s complete 2011 LA Auto Show Preview here

Cadillac has confirmed it will debut its new flagship luxury sedan, the XTS, at the LA Auto Show on November 16th. While details of the powertrain have been kept secret, we do know it will be the first production model to make use of the brand’s new CUE telematics system.

Using an 8-inch of optional 12.3-inch color screen the CUE system is designed to offer maximum geek capability while also being easy to use for Luddites with big graphics and simple controls. Also of note is that it offers iPad like functionality with motions like tap, flick, swipe and spread.

Measuring 203.5-inches in concept form, the XTS is a total of 3.5-inches longer than an S-Class, making this one classically huge Caddy.

Powering the concept was a twin-turbo direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 mated to an electric motor, making 350-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Rumors have suggested the production model could get a non-hybrid version of this same motor, making similar power to the concept. Also look for high-tech innovations like a magnetic ride control suspension.

GALLERY: Cadillac XTS Concept

See AutoGuide’s complete LA Auto Show preview here

Cadillac is hoping to use an unconventional marketing strategy to lure buyers to its upcoming XTS sedan, with plans to market it to limo services as a livery vehicle or “black car”.

While the livery car market is a small niche segment, it naturally attracts a fair number of high-end clients who use the vehicles as executive transport. In New York City, livery cars are ubiquitous among the affluent set, who ride in the back of Town Cars and Suburbans rather than their own vehicle.

Cadillac is hoping to get the XTS into the hands of livery car operators, since the Lincoln Town Car, the king of the livery car segment, has ended, and Lincoln’s replacement, based on the MKT, has been a sales flop. The XTS models sold to livery operators will be identical to the consumer version in terms of content, though livery drivers will be able to have the wheelbase stretched by approved coachbuilders.

From there, Cadillac is hoping that buyers of import brands will come away impressed with the Cadillac, and this will ostensibly translate into conquest sales for the brand.

[Source: Automotive News]

Those nostalgic for bench seats and pavement-crushing suspension can now rejoice: Cadillac will build a flagship worthy of the Standard Of The World.

GM had been toying with the idea for months, but now it’s official: Cadillac is finally approved to develop a sedan based on a new rear-drive platform, known internally as the Omega. It’s an offshoot of the Zeta platform that underpins the Holden Commodore and more relevantly, the Chevrolet Camaro. But instead of the Australians working on this one, or GM China, the North American division will handle lead development.

Unlike those Cadillac land yachts of yore, however, the new flagship will feature aluminum construction and either a small-block V8, or a hybrid system.

And we don’t know when we will see the new Cadillac, but sources say it will hit the great American roads by 2015 at the earliest. In the meanwhile, we’ll just have to make do with the front-drive XTS, which is just that—a stopgap.

[Source: GM Inside News]

The days of multiple supercharged V8s for Cadillac look to be ending as GM’s luxury division is now mulling four-cylinder engines on multiple product lines.

While the upcoming ATS sports sedan is a natural candidate for a four banger, rumor has it that the Cadillac XTS full size sedan may also be offered with a turbocharged Ecotec inline four, making between 220 and 260 horsepower. Depending on customer reception, this motor could also find a home in the CTS and SRX, which quite frankly makes more sense than in the larger XTS.

An Ecotec Cadillac may seem anathema to the brand, but in places like Europe and China, the small displacement of 2.0L will help it dodge significant taxes based on engine size. Furthermore, German manufacturers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are rapidly embracing turbocharged four cylinders in more than a few of their products.

[Source: Car and Driver]